@Chelsea – That’s why labels are so difficult to read. They do cram the basics on the label. The side effects are a different story (and an upcoming post).

@Lisa – Your doctor doesn’t want you to write stuff down? :O Listening to medical people talk is like trying to understand a foreign language. We’ve got to write it down.

@Tori – When I had to do a pred taper, I wrote out the schedule so I could mark off every day. No way could I remember it. Nothing is easy to remember when you’re sick; the foreign language of medicalese is impossible!

As an ER nurse, I almost always gave calenders to folks going home on pred tapers. It’s just too complicated, especially to people not familiar with the procedure.

The paradox is that many people do not want information. As a nurse, you are mandated to give it, but people don’t read it. Sometimes, they return to the ER for a problem that was addressed in their discharge info from the previous visit that makes the new visit unnecessary.

I give everyone info–what they do with it is up to them. I appreciate interested involved patient/learners/students more than anything!